Thursday, May 18th 1995

It was a regular morning at Privet Drive, a day like every other day.  There was no difference between mornings in this place. As per usual, Petunia Dursley woke up early to make breakfast for her family. She was a woman who was pleased with her life, and found fulfilment both as a mother and as a wife.

Her husband, Vernon, loved her dearly and took great care in making sure she would never run out of anything. He gave her support at the more difficult moments in her life. Petunia thought that her fifteen years old son Dudley was an exceptional boy. In the whole neighbourhood, there wasn't such a young man who could be compared to him. According to her, he had so much appeal and personal charm... he was incredibly handsome, friendly, and charming: a carbon copy of his father. People took to him like flies to honey, and he achieved only successes in his life. It made her smile just to think that Dudley had achieved a gold medal after barely one year of boxing. She was also proud that her boy had a flair for business. He has started some school project recently, which has already brought profits. Believing that young businessmen should be supported, they'd given Dudley the amount of money his school project had earned as a reward and incentive.

Everything would be perfect, the keyword being ‘would’. Her husband, her son, her life... it was all there. There was something, however, that was amiss in Petunia Dursley's life. A nasty little secret that weighed down on her every minute of every day: Potter. He was a freak, just like his mother and that devil man she had brought home. As far as Petunia was concerned, he was nothing more than vermin, and she wished he had the common decency to know when he wasn't wanted and not to come home for the holidays.

Preparation of breakfast for her men took only forty-five minutes. She set the table, and in the middle, she put a bouquet of flowers she had received from Vernon just yesterday.

"Diddy Duddydums! Wake up, my dearest darling!"

Dudley heard her walking back to the kitchen. He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a pile of cream rolls and a large chocolate cake, and some children continually dumped more into his desert pile. Dudley knew these punks. After all, every day, he'd collected money from them so they could breathe without fear of beating them to a pulp (by others) in his school. After all... everybody knew that Dudley had won the boxing championship; it had only served him another advantage. Admittedly he had only won the match by default because his opponent had mysteriously fallen ill just before the competition, but he didn't care about details. The medal was hanging on his wall, wasn't it? That was enough for him.

After a moment, Petunia came back to his door.

"Duddy, are you up yet? Your breakfast is ready."

"Almost." Breakfast was the only thing that was able to pull him out of bed.

 HPHPHPHPHP

After breakfast, Vernon Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked his wife on the cheek, and ruffled Dudley's hair on the way out the door. Petunia watched happily as she was packing lunch with extra vitamins for Dudley. After all, she had to make sure her Diddy Duddykins was healthy!

Few minutes past seven, finally home alone, Petunia cleaned the kitchen thoroughly and sat by the window. She had a perfect view of the street. While reading a newspaper, the woman contemplated what the celebrities must have been thinking; Niguel Pitt and his cohabitant (Petunia disapproved of such relationships) had adopted more children — triplets from Kongo. She almost pitied these people. Something had to be seriously wrong with every child they already had if they are looking for new ones all the time. Hers was perfect, and she would never look for another. Wondering about it, she looked out through the window and noticed that Gabi Milton was taking a walk. The girl was wearing an only miniskirt and a tight top. She had been going with Dudley in primary school, but the way she was dressing now...

'She's probably going to sleep around with that Macary from number 15.' Petunia thought indignantly. 'To think that her mother let her do such things, let alone dress that way!'

Yesterday, Petunia had heard from Betty Milovic that Martha Perren saw that Gabi had bought wine in town. And then Petunia could only assume that she'd gone to that boy after dark since his parents were away on business.

Petunia drank her cup of strong, black coffee and decided to do something. For the next couple of hours, nothing interesting should be happening, she thought. It had been a long time since the attic had been given a deep cleaning, so he decided to start her day there. She should consign old pieces of junk, she thought. Or, it would be better if she gives them away to the church for homeless people... the neighbours would notice, and they would admire her generosity. Content with this prospect, Petunia climbed the stairs.

After two hours, and after sorting through a lot of unnecessary books and old clothes, there was only one box remaining. Inside, she found an old journal, and curious, she opened it only to scoff. It was Lily's — that blasted sister of hers.

'Of course, the whole day would be spoiled by the very thought of her!'

She was about to close and burn it when out from the cover fell a piece of worn parchment. It was the... Birth Certificate of Harry James Potter! Her eyes went wide with astonishment.

'Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad day after all.